Southwark

Southwark's population expanded between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, ethnicity and religion.

The population passed quarter of a million

Between the last two censuses, the population of Southwark increased by 18%, from almost 245,000 to 288,000.

The addition of about 43,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Southwark was home to, on average, 71 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Southwark

Latest census data also show that the median age of Southwark remained 32 years in the decade to 2011.

This cosmopolitan area had a lower average age than London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 15,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population over the age of 80 years decreased by about 1,000.

About 22% of people in Southwark are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Southwark by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in social renting

Southwark saw England's second-largest fall in the proportion of socially rented homes.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (44%) households in Southwark lived in social housing, compared with 53% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 13% to 24%.

England's largest decrease in the proportion of socially rented homes occurred in Tower Hamlets (from 52% to 40%).

The rate of social housing in Southwark decreased by 9.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Southwark, London and England that rented socially, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Southwark with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 7.6% to 7.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage that had at least one dependent child remained close to 28%, while the percentage of households in Southwark without children increased from 64% to 65%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.7% in 2001 to 9.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across London

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Southwark

The number of people in Southwark from the White ethnic groups decreased from just over 150,000 in 2001 to just under 160,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 63% to 54%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across London (from 71% to 60%), but at a slower rate than the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Southwark from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from just over 63,000 in 2001 to about 78,000 in 2011 (from 26% to 27%). The number of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 14,000 to about 27,000 (from 5.9% to 9.4%).

About 18,000 people (3.7%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from just over 9,100 in 2001 (6.2%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Southwark decreased by 8.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Southwark by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Southwark

The number of people in Southwark that described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 45,000 in 2001 to about 77,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 19% to 27% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across London (from 16% to 21%), but at a slower rate than the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Southwark that described themselves as Christian remained close to 150,000 between the last two censuses (from 62% to 53% of the population). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 24,000 to about 25,000. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 9.9% to 8.5%.

About 25,000 people (6.9%) said they were Muslim, up from just under 17,000 in 2001 (8.5%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Southwark increased by 8.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Southwark by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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